No Mercy / No Malice: Big Energy

Renewable Energy

Tech companies are increasingly investing in renewable energy to power their data centers, which currently account for 3% of the US power demand and are expected to triple by 2030. George Hahn highlights that Amazon, the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy, has over 500 projects in operation or development, showcasing the convergence of tech and energy sectors 1. This shift reflects tech's transition from selling computing tools to selling compute itself, as companies like Amazon and Apple rely on data centers for growth 1.

The convergence of tech and energy reflects tech's transition from selling computing tools to selling compute itself.

--- George Hahn

This trend is further emphasized by tech executives attending oil and gas conferences, indicating a significant shift in how energy is sourced and utilized by the tech industry 1.

   

Compute Energy

The concept of 'compute' as a new form of energy is reshaping the tech economy, with data centers converting electrical energy into computational power. George Hahn explains that this transformation is akin to how solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, positioning compute as a vital component of the digital economy 1. This shift suggests that the future of energy is not just renewable but computable, with compute becoming a currency in its own right 1.

The future of energy isn't renewable, but computable.

--- George Hahn

As compute consumption grows, it parallels the economic impact of traditional energy forms, raising questions about potential externalities and the need for regulation 1.